Kiss Me
by dickard23
Summary: Clare is sick of getting dragged to "kissing" parties, but Degrassi loves them, so she is obliged to attend. Will this one kiss change her mind? Who will her kisser be?
1. Chapter 1

This story is told in Clare's POV. It's AU. Degrassi is a fancy prep school with many rich kids and some scholarship kids. For the most part, it doesn't matter which camp the character is in.

I was hoping for a night on the town with Eli. He has been promising me a romantic weekend for weeks, but he always ends up taking us on some group activity, skiing, going to some fancy night club, etc. At first, it was nice being a little pampered. Eli always pays since his parents are loaded and mine are not, but he thinks too much of his money. Sometimes, I'd rather just make out in front of the fireplace than fly somewhere on his jet. He doesn't get that about me.

When I first met him, he was daring, exciting, passionate, and now I don't feel any of those things are directed towards me anymore. I thought about ending, but my bff Alli told me I was crazy. He has perfect eyes, is loaded and girls keep chasing him, but he won't give them the time of day. You are so lucky.

None of those are reasons for me. I wonder if anyone at Degrassi gets me at all. Even my other best friend Adam thought I should stay with Eli, at least until he graduates.

"Is he Mr. Right? No, but he can be Mr. Right now!" Adam's always had trouble with relationships since he's FTM. He doesn't understand how I could want out of a seemingly fine relationship with Eli, seemingly being the key word.

Tonight is a great example. I was hoping we would stay in since my parents are out of town and we could have some "adult time" together, but he wants to go to Fiona's party. Fiona always throws parties. Once you've been to one, you've been to them all, but we have to go to everyone, since they are "old friends" and it would not look right if he was not at the "biggest affair of the year." People might think he was not invited, even though Fiona would never not invite him to one of her parties. We can never just make an appearance and go. It's always a stay until he can't walk straight kind of affair.

"It's going to be great Clare. She's cohosting the party with Imogen!" OH FUCK! I hate Imogen's parties. They're always centered on being physical with a bunch of people, like the Post Office game or kiss chase. I was crying after seven minutes in heaven once. What part of no did Derek Haig not understand? He understood it when I kicked him in the balls and ran out.

"Great," I say weakly. The fire in me is out. I may as well just go along with the motions now.

Eli drops me off and says he'll pick me up at 9 to take me to the party. I kiss him on the cheek and run upstairs.

I read and eat dinner before I go. I don't plan on dressing up, since I'll probably get stuck in a room with another boy and I don't want him to get the wrong idea. I stick with a black shirt that is long sleeved and offers no cleavage and I wear ordinary black jeans. It's 8PM. Who could that be?

I go downstairs and it's Alli and Jenna. "Come on Clare. You have to change."

"I'm wearing this."

"What!" Jenna stared at me. "That is so boring."

"That's precisely the point."

"Huh!" They both stare at me.

"Every time I go to one fo Imogen's stupid parties, some idiot guy thinks I'm going to give him something. I don't want any guys getting the wrong idea."

"So you want them to think you're a boring prude?" Jenna asks me. I'm not boring and I'm not a prude. I just don't want to give it up to some guy who doesn't care about me.

"Fine. I want them to think that."

"No!" they both tell me. They start pulling outfits out of their bag. I see a tube top; no way. I refuse to wear most of the outfits the brought except for one blue silk top that actually doesn't look too slutty. I put it on. Crap. My boobs barely fit in it. I look in the mirror.

"I cant' wear this."

Jenna comes in. "You look perfect."

"My boobs are trying to escape this top."

"Exactly!" I growl. I wear extra tight jeans that even I have trouble taking off. Times like this made me wish I had a chastity belt.

Alli does my makeup, and the girls take off in Jenna's car before Eli comes to get me. I put on a jacket to go over the top.

I see a high beam. I go outside and it's Eli. "Ready to go, Babe!"

"Yes." I hate this.

We get to the party and the booze has been free-flowing for some time. "Eli, Clare." Fiona kisses both of our cheeks. "Do get some champagne. I had it shipped to me from France."

Eli throws his down in a gulp. I sip mine slowly.

"You'll never get drunk that way," Eli tells me.

I hate being drunk. Not that he notices or cares.

I leave my jacket on, not wanting any guys to get the wrong idea. The butler came up to me. "Miss. Edwards. I'll hang your coat for you." I tried to decline but he seemed insistent on hanging all of the coats, so I hand him my jacket. I look for a window to sit near and before I can get to it, Dallas approaches me.

"Aren't you looking hot?"

"Hello Dallas." When will this boy get it through his thick skull that I am not interested; I never was interested, and I never will be interested?

"I can't believe Eli brought you here when he could have had this all to himself."

I am not a "this!" "You know Eli! He always has to make an appearance."

"Oh! I know Eli!" Dallas and Eli are childhood frenemies, always trying to take each other's girls and toys, but they pretend to be bffs to the world. It's rather unseemly. I bet Dallas wouldn't even try to go for me if I was with Jake.

Speaking of Jake, I hear he's back on with Katie Matlin. He always had a crush on her, but she was a rich girl who only dated rich boys. Allegedly, she started dating Jake to spite her parents, but now she really likes him. Who can tell. I wonder if Katie even knows what it means to actually like something, much less someone. She just accepts what everyone tells her. I see them together, talking in the corner.

Jenna is with K.C. another good girl meets "bad boy" story for the ages. When her parents heard he used to live in a group home, they went ballistic. She had been forbidden from seeing him until he got taken in by Mr. Wescott's elderly widow. He went from rags to riches, but somehow, he stayed the same kid. I don't know how he did it. I feel like money has changed me even though I technically don't have any.

I forgot I was even talking to Dallas. He's already moved on to Marisol. I see Eli talking to Talia. I hate that bitch. She's always high on some kind of pill doing something unseemly. Eli insists she isn't so bad, but who would go near that pile of trash with a ten foot pole. Her parents have already sent her to rehab twice and rumor has it she was the epicenter of the gonorrhea outbreak at school last year, not that rich people ever admit to having communicable diseases.

I didn't know Wesley had approached me until I heard his voice, "having a blast too." I jumped a bit.

"Hi Wesley. I'm just thrilled to be here, can't you tell."

"I can tell sarcasm. I hate these parties too!" Finally, someone who gets me.

"Why do you go?"

"My mother insists I bond with my peers because one of them might be the prime minister some day."

"Haha! These whack jobs."

"I know, right, but I keep telling myself once I get to college, I can do the polar opposite of everything my mother wants."

Once Eli gets to college, I can be free of him. I can't believe I feel this way about my boyfriend. I used to be crazy about him, ever since he ran over my glasses, but now, he just represents everything I don't like about prep school, smarmy, arrogant, entitled. The worse thing is, he isn't bad all the time. Sometimes, he kisses me like he means it or writes me something sweet in English, but I feel like those times are fewer and further between these days. I keep hoping that if I stick around for a little while longer, I'll get him back to good, but I think I'm fooling myself.

The party goes on, another hour of drinking, mingling and the like. Now it's time for the game. Ugh! Let's get this over with.

Imogen gets on the staircase. "Thank you everyone for coming. Tonight, we will play blind man's spin the bottle. There will be a boys' circle and a girls' circle in different rooms and both the boys and the girls will be blindfolded. Fiona and I will spin the bottles and send one boy and one girl into a room for a kiss, no talking and once the kisses are over, the blindfolds will come off and the parties will resume. We will have prizes for those who correctly guess his or her kissing partner.

What the FUCK! I do not want to be blindfolded with a guy, particularly one I'm not dating, not that I would let Eli blindfold me.

I shove a mint in my mouth and sip from my water bottle. This is going to be a long night.

Fiona takes the girls and Imogen takes the boys. I find myself in a circle with Jenna, Alli, Marisol, Katie, Bianca, Hannah and I think some niners? I don't even know. I try to think who could be in the boys circle: Eli, Dallas (ugh!), Jake, Wesley, Drew I saw. I don't really remember who all is here, but I try not to think about it. It probably won't be Eli and who knows what girl he's going to kiss. I never understood why he likes these events. Most guys would be jealous if their girl was kissing another guy. Why isn't Eli?

I heard Hannah get up first, since she stubbed her toe on the way. Fiona hushed her, not that we know which boy went first.

I thought we were going one at a time, but it seems like we aren't. I don't hear the girls come back before the next one leaves. I think Bianca and Katie got up already. I almost fall asleep waiting until I feel Fiona's hand on my shoulder. I get up and she leads me into a drafty room and tells me to sit on the couch. I sit and a minute later, a guy comes in and is seated next to me. I don't know exactly how close he is to me, and I'd rather start, so I reach out my hands until I find his. He has big hands. I move my hands up his arms to his shoulders.

I find his jaw and I guide his head to mine with my hands, starting with a soft, closed mouth kiss. He smells good and his lips are soft. I think he put on chapstick, not flavored, and before I knew it, he was nibbling on my lower lip. It felt really good and I grunted allowing him to push my lips open with his own. My hands went up his hair. It's straight and feels clean, not oily and I start massaging his scalp because his hair feels good in my hands.

He leans forward, pushing himself in between my legs, which is rather intimate but the contact is welcome. I feel his body pressed against mine, and his body is firm and muscular. I have acquired a stud on my hands. He has on this thin but very soft sweater and I just want to keep his body in mine. I slip my tongue into his mouth, coaxing his into playing with mine as his hands roam my sides. My back arches under his touch and somehow, I end up in his lap, his hands on my hips, just inches from my ass. I need more of him, so I thrust myself forward, forcing him to grab me to steady me, his hands squeezing my behind as I press myself against him. He falls back on the couch and I straddle him. His hands move back up my sides and he finds my breasts, gently tracing them with his fingertips as I feel the area between my legs getting hotter and hotter. I need to move his hands before I start moaning. I take his hands and pin them to the couch, dominating him and the kiss. He lets me take control as he is much bigger than I am. I can feel him hardening through his jeans and my hips want to grind against it. He groans in my mouth, loudly as my hips move over his.

I hear a knock on the door. "Come on you two hornballs. You're holding up the party!"

I hear Fiona and Imogen giggle as they guide me off him and take me to another room. He reached out for my hand one last time, rubbing it as I left. I don't know if this was his way of saying goodbye or his attempt to figure out who I am. I'm sure I'll know who he is when I see his sweater.

I am told I can take my blindfold off. All of the other girls are in the room.

"What took you so long?" Marisol asked me.

"Yeah, we were all done before you," Jenna added.

"I don't kiss and tell."

"But telling is the point of the party," Alli insisted.

"I was never one for following rules," I retort.

Now that everyone is settled, we are able to mingle. I need a drink after all of that, something to slow down the beating of my heart.

I down a glass of champagne. "Was I that good?" Dallas asked me.

I roll my eyes. "Haha!"

"Really? Who do you think you kissed?"

"I'm not telling until the end of the party."

"You're no fun!"

"I know at least one guy who disagrees." I wink at him and go out where the others are. I see Adam, not him Mo, not him, Cam and Luke, no. Neither of them have the physique or the clothing.

I mingle with who I see there and everyone is blabbing about what went on in their rooms, but I don't see my mystery man. I will when we all reconvene at the end. I see Fiona and Imogen go in one room and I can't see what's behind them.

Fiona says that in 10 minutes, we will be given slips of paper to write down our guess.

"Do we get a list of who all is here?" I ask her

"Do you not see your guy?" she winks at me.

"You know I don't."

"Fine, I'll put up a list on who all was here."

I still don't see him around. We get our pen and paper, and I realize who I hadn't seen all night, Owen Milligan. It has to be him, but where was he before and after we kissed. It was like he disappeared, and how is he such a fantastic kisser?

I write down my name and who I am guessing.

I give back the paper. Fiona and Imogen go to read them and compare it to their master list. Eli has his typical smirk on his face. For the first time tonight, he approaches me. "Hey Babe! I'm sorry I didn't get to kiss you in there."

He could have kissed me all night if we had just stayed home, but that would have required him expressing interest in me as a person. I wonder if I'm just a trophy to him.

"Everyone," Fiona called.

"Let's find out who kissed whom, shall we?"

The first kiss was Hannah and Dallas. "Hannah guessed Liam and Dallas guessed Katie, so sorry no prizes for you."

The next kiss was Bianca and Adam. "Bianca guessed Adam and Adam guessed Bianca; good job. You both get prizes."

Bianca ruffled Adam's hair. He smiled. "She's still my girlfriend," Drew reminded him.

"For now," he teased. I wonder which one Bianca thinks is a better kisser.

"Third was Katie and Liam. Katie guessed Luke and Liam guessed Hannah. Sorry, no prizes for you." Maybe Hannah and Liam should try kissing each other. They both had wishful thinking.

"Fourth was Marisol and Mo, and I hoped they could guess each other. Oh they did. They get prizes." Of course, she got her boyfriend. Not that it matters. She's kissed half the boys here. She would have been able to guess almost anybody.

"Fifth was Clare and Owen." Owen finally came out of wherever he was, drinking what looked like Scotch. "Clare guessed Owen and Owen guessed Clare. Congrats! You two get prizes."

I blushed when I finally saw his face. He saw, well he didn't see, a side of me that no one has before, not even Eli. I let Eli touch my boobs outside my shirt before, but his nails were too long and he was too rough. Owen has the perfect touch.

The other kisses were Eli and Jenna, Wesley and Alli, Drew and Maya. Eli and Jenna guessed each other. Alli didn't realize she kissed Wesley. "Since when are you such a good kisser?" he blushed. Maya guessed Drew, but Drew didn't guess her.

We got our prizes. The boys got fuzzy cuffs and the girls got chocolate body paint. I looked at Owen. I would not mind him licking this off me. Scratch that, I'd think I'd enjoy it very much. I asked Owen where he went to after the kiss.

"I had to recover after that. I couldn't really walk straight, and then when I could, I was still panting, and you left me with a problem I had to take care of and then Fiona brought me some Scotch so I chugged it and then I had to recover from that, and I guess here I am." He sounded a bit bashful about it. It was quite endearing.

"I've never been kissed like that before," I tell him quietly, not wanting Eli to hear me.

"Neither have I." He looks like he wants to kiss me again. He will. I know he will.


	2. Chapter 2

Three weeks after Fiona and Imogen's party

Clare was looking forward to tonight. Eli promised to take her on a real date.

"You're going to love Botticelli's. It's the best Italian restaurant in the province."

Fiona was going on vacation with her twin brother and their parents, so there would be no Fimogen party. Now, the social elite had to find their own entertainment for once.

"Are you going to Jenna's party tonight?" Alli asked Clare after school got out.

Jenna's father and stepmother were going on some couple's spa vacation, so Jenna had an empty house. She decided to throw a party on Friday and this would give her Saturday morning to clean, and she could spend Saturday night with KC.

"I can't. Eli is finally taking me on a date."

Alli started asking all about it. "Where is he taking you? What are you wearing?"

Clare described the restaurant. They had pictures on their website, and it looked gorgeous. "They have a real Da Vinci!"

"We should get you something sexy to encourage Eli to take you on more dates."

They went to the mall and Ali beelined for Victoria's Secret.

"I thought we were buying clothes!"

"They sell clothes."

Clare rolled her skeptical eyes.

Alli went to look at the tops. Alli wanted to wear something hot to the party. She was done with being "goody two shoes Bhandari" She wanted a new reputation.

A sales associate approached Clare. "Can I help you?"

"I have a date tonight at Botticelli's, and I wanted to get something special."

The woman smiled and led Clare to a set of new lacy bras that had just come in. "Black is classic, but you could also go with something vibrant. What color dress are you wearing?"

"Undecided."

"We have some dresses here, but nothing fancy enough for Botticelli's. I would suggest going down to Lord and Taylor's; they're having a sale right now and you can get a nice dress there.

Pick the dress first and then come back. You don't want to buy your bra in the wrong color or else you'll see it through the dress.

Aali ended up with a pink dress that barely hit mid thigh.

"It looks like a negligee," Clare told her.

"And I got a push up bra!"

Clare shook her head. Mrs. Bhandari would have a hard attack if she saw that.

* * *

><p>Two hours later, Clare was at home wearing a sleeveless blue dress that matched her eyes and a white lacy bra and thong set.<p>

Eli picked her up at 6:30. "You look hot Babe."

Eli had on his signature smirk and an all black suit. He thought it made him look "gangster."

They got to the restaurant and it was light with candles like it was the 1920s. There was lots of artwork and vines on the walls.

Holly J was their server for the evening. "Welcome to Botticelli's. Is this your first time dining with us?"

"Yes," Eli told her.

"Lovely. Can I start you off with any wine?"

Eli got the sangiovese.

"A lovely choice."

Clare started looking at the menu. They had no prices. If you had to ask, it meant you couldn't afford it.

Eli ordered the saffron risotto and the veal chop.

Clare got the prosciutto and truffle pizza.

The date would have been perfect if Clare could have substituted Eli for someone else. He kept texting throughout the date.

"What's so exciting?"

"Oh it's nothing!"

_Nothing is more interesting than I am, great._

The food was delicious. Clare had many pizzas, but this one was fantastic: thin crust that's nice and crisp, fresh truffles, marscapone, arugula, prosciutto and asiago cheese on top.

"Shall I bring you the dessert menu?" Holly J asked.

Clare nodded and ended up getting the semifredo. It was heavenly.

Eli got the check. Holly J enjoyed her generous tip, 50% of the check, but she felt bad for Clare. Eli looked like a terrible boyfriend. He acted like she was a lowly intern and not his girlfriend.

Holly J may not be rich, but her boyfriend Spinner was a total sweetheart.

"Where are we going next?" Clare asked. Hopefully somewhere that would discourage his phone use.

"Fiona's having another party!"

"What? She's supposed to be going to the beach."

"She is, but her parents bailed on the last minute, so she and her brother are throwing a party. I was texting Jenna, so she would move her party to the beach house. This way, we don't have to split everyone up."

He'd rather go to another party than see what's under this dress. Clare groaned internally. She wasn't sure if she would make it until graduation.

The party wasn't until 10, but it was an hour away, so they drove straight there.

* * *

><p>KC carried two big bags of ice into the house.<p>

Declan took a metal tub, added the ice, salt, and cold water so the could chill the beer as quickly as possible.

"We should use the other bag of ice for the mixed drinks."

Their beach house always had champagne and liquor, but they seldom had beer. Their parents were not fans.

"Where did your parents go?" KC asked him.

"They got a last minute invitation to go to the New York Philharmonic tomorrow, and they decided to make a weekend of it." Declan went to school in New York. He and their father lived there, while Fiona and their mother lived in Toronto.

Declan and Fiona decided to put the house to good use.

"You got a girl in New York?"

He shook his head. "There is this girl Tinsley who likes me, but she's a ho."

"It's weird that you and Fiona are single. You're both so pretty."

Declan laughed. "Well Fiona is fickle, so she may not be dating anyone for a while. I tended to play the field more than date anyway, but who knows, maybe I'll meet a girl here."

Jenna and Fiona were working on the food. They decided to grill. There wasn't a way to cater at the beach on such short notice, and they did have a nice big grill.

"I don't really know how to grill," Jenna admitted.

"Neither do I." Fiona called Owen.

"What are you grilling?"

"Meat?"

No shit! "Are they steaks, burgers, sausages? What are you trying to cook?"

"Um, we got a bunch of stuff in this bag. I don't know how to cook any of it."

"I'm already on my way. Just leave it alone until I get there."

"Good. Can you figure out how to turn this thing on?"

Owen wondered how two girls could be so bad at cooking; oh wait, they're rich!

He got to the house and told them, "You have a charcoal grill. You need to add fuel and light it."

"Oh, oops!" She had been looking for a button.

Owen found everything he needed in the closet and started the grill.

"There's no food on it," Jenna told him.

"You have to burn of the fuel before you cook or else you're eating lighter fluid."

"I'll leave you with this."

The two girls ran inside.

Twenty minutes later, the coals were white hot, and Owen added the sausages to the grill first as they would take the longest to cook.

About ten minutes after he started cooking, Declan came outside with a beer for him.

"Thanks bro."

"Thanks for dealing with the food. Our father's the only one who ever uses the grill or the smoker."

"You have a smoker?"

Declan pointed to the other side of the deck.

"That explains all the mesquite chips he had in the closet."

"Yeah, he makes the best pulled pork. I should learn how, but I'm kind of lazy when it comes to that stuff." Declan could make spaghetti, that was about it.

"I competed with my dad. He won best wings in Toronto last year."

"Your dad's a grillmaster?"

"Have you heard of Milligan's Truck Stop?" It was the well regarded as the best barbeque in Toronto.

"That's your dad?" Declan had no idea

"Hector Milligan. He's from Texas," hence the barbeque restaurant.

"Damn, that's cool. They brew their own beer there, don't they?"

"Yeah. He competes in that too." Unlike most of the rich kids here, Owen's father was a rags to riches kind of guy. He didn't believe in allowance. Owen and Tristan got paid for working in the restaurant or in the brewery. They didn't get paid for being born.

The guests started to arrive. They gravitated towards the food. The smell was intoxicating.

* * *

><p>By the time Eli and Clare go to the party, there were teenagers all over the house and the backyard, many with plates of food and drinks in hand.<p>

KC was bartending. Jenna and Fiona were serving the food, and Declan was in charge of music.

Clare felt way overdressed.

"I like your dress," Fiona told her.

"Thanks. We went out to dinner."

"Eli! You are a sucky date," she teased.

Too bad Clare agreed wholeheartedly.

Eli waved her off as he chugged whiskey straight.

"You look way too good to be here," Dallas told her. He and Marisol were hook up buddies now, allegedly. He said they were hooking up. She denied it.

"We went to dinner first."

"Let me guess, Eli derailed your date so he could get wasted."

Yeah! "Something like that."

"You can do better Dollface."

"What would Marisol say about that?"

He winked and went on his way.

Clare got champagne and headed outside. She left her shoes in the house and went barefoot.

The food did smell good. Clare, however, was full. She took her drink and sat on a hammock.

She wondered if Owen was here. Before she could find out, Imogen came outside to say they were playing their first game of the night.

"We're playing kiss tag!"

You run around outside, and you have to kiss whomever you bump into.

"No pecks or kisses on the hands. Nothing lame!"

Clare had no interest in running in this dress.

They went out, and Clare actively avoided people.

Alli did the opposite. She got drunk and kissed every cutie she saw, starting with Dallas and she also netted Declan and Jake.

Dallas moved to squeeze Alli's butt. She normally would have slapped him, but she wanted to be more puckish, so she moaned in his mouth instead before running away.

Declan pulled her close to him when they kissed. He smelled really good.

Jake was the most chaste kisser. He and Katie were good right now. He didn't want to mess it up.

Clare thought was alone when she felt two soft hands pulling her into a tender kiss. It was Fiona. "You have beautiful eyes," Fiona told her before running away.

Clare was scarlet.

The game only lasted 15 minutes or so. People wanted more drinks or food. It was hard to keep their attention long.

* * *

><p>"Are you having fun?" Declan asked Clare as she went for another drink.<p>

"It's a lovely party."

"When people say lovely, they're either think the party is boring or they're annoyed about something."

"Eli and I had been on a date, but he decided he wanted to get drunk instead, so he brought me here. All we do is go to parties, get drunk, and play kissing games with other people. It's weird."

"You don't do anything together anymore?"

"Well, we're writing partners, but that's assigned by the school. It wasn't a choice."

"I'm guessing it wasn't always like that."

"No. He used to be exciting. We'd go skiing or dancing. He was a bit of a show off, but I just liked spending time with him."

Clare seemed like a cute girl. "I think he did all that stuff to win you over, and now that you're his girlfriend, he doesn't see any reason to woo you anymore."

"I don't even understand why he wants a girlfriend if he doesn't' want to spend time with me."

"It makes him more attractive to other girls."

"What?"

"If he's single, other girls wonder why. If he's taken, then he's good enough to be taken by someone, and girls want him more."

"That's ridiculous."

Declan shrugged. "I used to go for girls with boyfriends. It made the hunt more exciting. Clare, you're a nice girl. I can tell because you are baffled by people's perverse incentives. Eli is not a nice guy. He was nice when it suited him, and he stopped once he got what he wanted. He's probably hoping to pop your cherry on prom night and then he'll disappear after graduation."

Clare frowned. He was probably right. Well, that's not happening. Clare could guarantee that.

An hour later, Fiona gathered the group for another kissing game.

"This time we're playing hide and go get it!" They split up everyone, boys and girls. The boys were hiding and the girls were seeking. Once a girl found a boy, they would go make out and then they were out of the game. This went on until all of the boys were found and then they switched.

The guys got 20 seconds to hide while all of the girls were in the front of the house.

"Also, no cheating," Imogen told them. "Do not call the boy you want to kiss, so you can find out where he is!"

Marisol cursed in her mind. She already planned on calling Declan. He was hot!

The girls started to go get it.

Clare saw Dallas under a table (hiding quite poorly), but she turned around and kept going.

"Did you see a boy?" Imogen questioned.

"I didn't want to go get it."

Clare made off before Imogen could react.

Clare wasn't sure what or whom she was looking for. "I wonder if this house has an attic."

Bianca had an easy time finding Drew. His lazy ass was lying in the hammock with a beer.

"You're not even hiding!"

"Yeah, I thought about hiding, but I wanted a beer."

Bianca pounced on him, and they started making out.

Jenna's cousin Lenore found Eli under a bed.

"I like you're suit."

"Thanks." Clare told him that he looked like a gangster about as much as she looked like a cheerleader.

She leaned in and kissed him. Her lips tasted like cherry cola and cigarettes. Eli liked it.

Maya found Cam in the laundry room. He thought she was cute, but he was on the shy side, so he never said anything to her.

"Embrasse moi!"

Cam grinned like a rabbit with a carrot before pulling Maya into his arms and giving her a sweet kiss.

Fiona found Declan and kissed him on the cheek.

"What was that for?" He was hoping a hot girl would find him.

"I didn't want to kiss any of the guys here."

"You don't like any of them?"

"I don't like guys." She told him.

That makes sense. "Then why didn't you just sit the game out?"

"Imogen got on my case. I never play these games. I just host them because people expect them."

"Fuck their expectations. Let's get some booze!"

* * *

><p>Clare found the attic and when she got in it, she turned on a light. Owen was in the chair by the window.<p>

"You found me."

"I found Dallas first, but I pretended I didn't see him."

Owen cracked up. "I bet he saw you."

"Don't care."

"So I take it you had been on a date."

"That obvious."

"No one dresses that nicely for a Fiona party."

"Eli decided this was more fun than our date. He spent the whole dinner texting about this stupid party."

"Why haven't you dumped him yet?"

"I had planned on waiting until graduation, making a clean break, but I'm pretty sure I'll hate going to prom with him."

"I'd take you," Owen said. "That is if you can put up with my crazy parents. They're going to want to take 100 pictures and ask you 1000 questions."

"Are they protective of their boy?" Clare teased.

"No," he snorted. "I don't date too much, so they'll want to make sure I didn't hire you from an escort service."

"Why is that?"

Owen shrugged. "I had a girlfriend. She joined the army, and it was hard to go from her to a girl who worries about her nail polish clashing with her belt buckle."

Clare guffawed.

"I could see that being an adjustment."

Anya was doing quite well for herself. She got through basic training and was about to leave for her first peacekeeping mission in June.

"Why did you only date the egghead?"

Clare shrugged. "I went on a date with KC once, but it was so awkward. I wasn't as mature as I am now, and we liked math, but that's not exactly a sexy date conversation."

"I beg to differ. I bet we could calculate all kinds of sexy things, like how to suspend a sex swing into the rafters without it falling down while we're using it. "

Clare rolled her eyes. "Like I knew what all those things were at 14."

"I did, but then again, my parents are perverts."

"What?"

"Well, I think the term is swinger but …"

"Are you serious?"

"Yeah. I found out the hard way. My parents said they had a book club meeting, and I thought they actually meant reading aloud like they do in school, so I came down to the basement with my book to see a bunch of couples going at it."

They got Owen upstairs quickly, but a few years later, he realized why there were so many people in the house.

"They now make sure Tristan and I are out of town first."

"My parents are much more boring. They just stay at home and watch tv a lot. It's like a religion to them."

"I raise you parents who make home movies, of everything. I think they have a video of the first time I got a homework assignment." Her mother wanted to archive every moment of her babies.

Clare leaned against him. "It's nice that your parents care. A lot of the parents here just leave their kids in an empty house full of liquor and then wonder why they need rehab," aka Manny Santos. She had gone to rehab 3 times before she graduated Degrassi.

"I'm not really from society. I can only afford this school because my dad did well with the restaurant he opened. He started off as a butcher, and he was raised on a pig farm."

"My dad's a lawyer, and my mom's a homemaker."

"Big money lawyer?"

"No. He represents people facing eviction or credit card bills that they can't pay. He mounts defenses against creditors who use predatory practices." It pays okay, but without a scholarship, Clare wouldn't be here.

It wasn't a surprise that Clare wasn't society. It explained why she didn't give him a headache.

Clare wasn't sure when they started kissing, but at some point, their lips converged, and she ended up in his lap. His strong arms wrapped around her as she pressed herself against him.

Her body was soft and warm. His hands dipped to her hips, and he held them firmly.

Clare's nails raked along Owen's firm muscles, and she acquiesced when he slipped his tongue in her mouth.

While they kissed in the attic, the others started to make their way to the fornt of the house. When there were still some stragglers, Imogen went looking for them. She found Lenore and Eli in semi-undress in the bedroom.

"Tisk Tisk Eli! You're holding up the party."

They got dressed and headed out to the front.

After sweeping the house, Imogen still couldn't find Clare or Owen.

"Maybe they're in the attic," Fiona suggested. She and Declan went to go check. When they got there, they heard loud moaning. Owen was paying more attention to Clare's needs than Eli ever did.

"Let's give them a few minutes."

It was obvious when Clare was done. She shrieked loudly. Then, there was a knock on the door.

"The game's over," Declan called to them.

Clare's heart was pounding. They probably heard them.

Owen stuffed her panties into his pocket. "Let's go."

They headed out to the front of the house. Owen knew he wouldn't be satisfied until he had Clare riding him like a bronco. Damn, Eli had no idea what he was missing.


	3. Chapter 3

One Month after the Beach Party

Prom was two weeks away. For the most part, everyone was already paired up: Bianca and Drew, Jenna and KC, Katie and Jake, Eli and Clare, Marisol and Mo and Liam and Hannah.

There were, however, some people going stag at the moment. Owen Milligan was one of them. He wanted Clare Edwards and he was running out to time to make her his.

Unsure of how to get her away from Eli, Owen asked Drew for advice.

"You like Clare?" She was kind of a brain. Drew didn't think she was his type.

"She's hot as fuck, an amazing kisser, and she's actually not totally full of herself."

Drew gave him a puzzled look. Owen explained what had happened at the last two parties they had been to together.

Drew's eyes widened. "You got in her pants."

"Eli hasn't. He's too busy making out with random bimbos to realize that she's horny and neglected."

Drew had an idea. "If he keeps blowing her off for parties, why not throw a party, invite Eli, and steal Clare from right under his nose."

Owen frowned. "That's fucking genius."

"I know man."

Owen just needed a place to throw a party. His parents weren't the type to leave an empty house to teenagers, and even if they went out of town, Tristan would be home and he didn't need his little brother getting in the way.

Milligan asked around, looking for a host. He was surprised by the offer that he got in return.

"You can totally throw a party at our ski lodge in Vail." Declan could even get them there on the family jet.

"You'd let us use your house and your jet?"

Declan shrugged. "Clare's a sweetheart and Eli's an asshat. If you can get her away from him, all power to you."

Owen did not have a lot of time to make the arrangements. He had to get a guest list, make sure there was enough food, booze, room, and that everyone invited had transportation there and back.

* * *

><p>Clare had been ready to dump Eli after the beach party, but all of the sudden, he became a better boyfriend. He started actually paying attention to her instead to texting during their dates or looking for the next party.<p>

She still wasn't looking to stay with him past graduation, but maybe their relationship had a little more in it.

"How about we go to New York next weekend?" Eli asked Clare. His family had a penthouse apartment there.

"Oh that would be great. Could we see a show?"

"My family has a box. We can see anything you want Dollface."

Clare was so excited that she picked out an evening dress, clothes to wear at during the day and made an itinerary of things she wanted to do: New York pizza, the MET, a romantic stroll through Central Park.

"Are you finally going to give up your v-card?" Jenna questioned.

"I don't know about that," Clare said. Eli hadn't been that great of a boyfriend. Plus, he didn't exactly do it for her sexually anymore.

"You have to," Alli told her. "He's taking you on a romantic weekend to New York."

Clare didn't think she should put out for him just because he was spending money. Of course, her friends didn't want to hear that. They went so far as to tell Eli that Clare was ready for her first time.

"You will need red wine, rose petals, the works Eli," Jenna advised him.

He had his playboy smirk on his face. "Clare will have everything and more."

Right away, people RSVPd for the impromptu ski trip. What better way to show off your status than to say you were partying at the Coyne ski cabin?

"I'm so down," Julian declared when he got his invite. He was actually going for the skiing as opposed to the drinking, but no one had to know that.

Eli rsvp'd for him and Clare, not even thinking about the New York trip he had promised her. It wasn't until Thursday, when she asked him when they were leaving the next day that he said, "oh I got a better idea. We're going to Vail instead of New York."

"What?" She was about to cry. She had been thinking of New York nonstop all week.

"We got invited to an exclusive skiing party. We can go to New York any weekend."

Clare groaned so much for a romantic weekend.

"I don't know what you're upset about," Alli said to Clare. "Eli is taking you on his family jet. You can join the mile high club."

"You must be crazy if you think I'm sleeping with that asshole. All he does is make promises and then break them because he'd rather get drunk."

Alli would love to have a guy spend that kind of money on her. "Sometimes, I worry about your priorities."

Clare had half a mind to dump Eli and skip the trip. She suggested it to Adam who told her, "but Owen's throwing this party."

"He is?"

"Yeah, he and Declan are throwing it together."

Owen Milligan, now there was a real man.

Friday

All of the cool kids left at lunch time to get to the airport. It was a 5 hour flight from Toronto to Vail. Given the two hour time difference, it would be about 4:30PM MDT when they got there.

Eli was excited to get 5 hours alone with Clare. He wondered how far he could get with her in the air. Once he got some champagne in her, she should be putty in his hands.

"Eli, Clare," Declan approached them at the airport. "Why don't you fly with us?"

"I was going to take my jet," Eli told him.

"But we have a full bar and you can play more drinking games with 12 people than you can with two."

Before Eli could respond, Clare said, "let's do it."

This time, Eli groaned as Clare changed the plans.

Declan smirked. Nice try, Eli!

The Coyne jet was gorgeous, comfortable leather interior, cherry wood everywhere and it was really shiny.

Drew and Bianca were already on board, as were Adam and Becky Baker, who usually didn't get to go to parties. She, however, told her father she would be on a church retreat, so he said she could go.

Thirty minutes later, everyone was on board and they were getting ready for take off.

Fiona popped open a bottle of champagne to get the trip started. This was going to be a long flight.

Two hours in, and they had already gone through 4 bottles of champagne. This wasn't a lot for 12 people, but not everyone had drunk. The ones who did drink were starting to feel pretty good.

Eli was one of them. He started pawing at Clare's breasts.

"Stop that," she hissed at him.

"But babe, they're so big."

"We're in front of our friends."

"We could have flown alone."

She folded her arms over her chest.

He pouted and went to get more booze.

Owen just wanted to punch the jerk.

* * *

><p>Eventually, Eli got too drunk to remember Clare's spurning of his advances, and he suggested they play spin the bottle.<p>

"On a plane?"

"It will make it more interesting."

The group circled around, and they spun a champagne bottle. Declan went first and got Fiona.

"Re-spin."

Sorry, no Coyncest.

He spun and got Clare the second time. He didn't want Owen to kill him, but he did want to teach Eli a lesson so he pulled the brunette into his lap and gave her an inviting kiss, one that caused her to shiver.

"Enough!" Eli growled. He had the feeling that Declan liked his girl.

"It was your idea," Declan smirked as he invited Eli to take the next spin.

He did and he got Becky.

Both of them cringed. Even a peck was torture.

They went around the group. Julian kissed Imogen. Fiona got Bianca, which caused Drew to whistle happily. Jane got Owen; they hardly knew each other, and once the round was over, people were over it.

One of the first things they did when they got to Vail was get pizza. The group was famished after skipping lunch and drinking (or abstaining) for five hours.

They got three meatlovers' pizzas for the boys and two pizzas for the girls (one neopolitan and one chicken and mushroom).

Once they had food, people went to settle into their rooms, unpack, shower, whatever it was they wanted to do.

Becky was not ready to share a room with Adam, so Owen had put Clare with Becky and Adam with Eli. Eli was furious when he found out.

"Why can't I share a room with Clare?"

"This was the only way to work it out." Declan and Fiona each claimed their own room (Coyne privilege). Owen was sharing with Julian, Jane with Imogen, Drew was with Bianca, and this put Eli with Adam and Clare with Becky.

"If I had done the rooms any other way, I would have to put Adam with a girl whose not his girlfriend and that's not a good idea for anybody."

This was a bit of a farce. Jane would be spending the night with Declan, so Clare could sleep with Imogen, but Declan wasn't about to make this easy for Eli.

Clare assured him it will be fine. "We'll have plenty of time to spend together."

Eli bluntly told Adam that if Clare was ready to put out this weekend, Adam was sleeping on the couch.

The boy was starting to regret encouraging their relationship. _No wonder Clare wants to dump him._

* * *

><p>Later that evening, they decided to play a new game. Each girl put a piece of jewelry in the hat.<p>

The boys would draw the jewelry and they got paired with whomever they drew.

Every girl had a ring or an earring to contribute. Becky put in her chastity ring, which caused Eli to laugh.

Adam punched him. "Shut up."

Julian drew Imogen's earring. Declan got Becky's chastity ring. Drew got Clare's ring. Owen got Jane's earring. Eli got Bianca's earring. Adam ended up with Fiona's ring.

"Now you all get 15 minutes."

Drew and Clare went up to the attic.

"You're a lucky girl," Drew told Clare.

"How do you figure?"

"Owen went through all this trouble because he wanted to spend time with you."

"He did?"

"You've thrown him for a loop."

"He hasn't asked me out." She wondered if he was still interested.

"You're still taken, by an asshole, but Owen's not the kind of guy who chases taken girls, even if he is crazy for them."

None of the couples got hot and heavy, Declan gave Becky a peck on the cheek, not wanting to offend her Christian sensibilities.

Adam got a gay vibe from Fiona. "Why do you do these stupid kissing games?"

"I tried to kiss myself into being straight and ever since, I had the reputation for this."

"I think you should just ask out Imogen and forget this shit."

"How did you?"

"It wasn't that hard. You always are with her 'hosting.' It means you don't have to kiss boys and neither does she."

Jane didn't want to kiss anyone other than Declan and Owen didn't mind just reading his book.

Julian and Imogen kissed a little bit but nothing exciting and Bianca slapped Eli when he tried to tongue her.

"Hell no you emo freak."

* * *

><p>Clare did not go back to the group right away. Instead, she sought out Owen.<p>

He knew it was she when he felt her hand on his. She led him into an empty room.

"What is it Clare?"

"Kiss me you fool."

She mashed her lips to his. He quickly pinned her to the couch.

"What about Eli?" He eventually asked.

"Forget about him. I just want you."


	4. Chapter 4

Owen couldn't believe this was happening. He finally had the girl of his dreams alone and in his arms.

She wrapped her legs around his hips, grinding against his pelvic bone as she got ready to pull his shirt off.

All of the sudden, it seemed like time was moving too fast. "Clare," he hissed against her neck. "How far do you want this to go?" He could feel his jeans tightening already. If they weren't going to go below the belt, then he would need a cold shower very soon.

"Further than I've ever gone with Eli," Clare hissed against his neck. He had only made it to second base with her and that was back before he became a total asshole.

Quickly, her small hand reached between his legs and undid his jeans. He sprung free before the hand encased him. He grunted involuntarily as she started to move her hand.

"Just relax," she told him with a smile. "I'll take care of you."

He was ready to burst just looking at her.

* * *

><p>Everyone else went down to the lounge to continue the party. Declan noticed that Clare and Owen were missing and wanted to keep the rest of the group distracted. "How about tequila shots?"<p>

Fiona busted out a bottle of Don Julio and Declan passed around the shot glasses.

Everyone lined up and took one. Becky made the sourest face after she had hers. "That was so harsh."

Bianca laughed. "This is the good stuff. Wait until you try Sauza, now that's bad tequila.

One shot became two shots which became three. Becky was drunk.

"Kiss me Adam!" She grabbed him and pulled him on top of her. The teenage boy had to brace himself before he slid off the couch and onto the floor.

Her tongue plunged into his mouth. She had never been so aggressive with him before, and he was totally into it.

The other couples began to pair off. Drew made out with Bianca. Jane started necking on Declan.

Fiona offered to give Imogen a private tour of the house, leaving Julian with Eli.

He finally noticed, "where the hell is Clare?"

Julian shrugged. "Maybe she needed to lie down. I think she mentioned feeling woozy after the plane ride." Julian was Owen's friend. He was trying to buy the guy some time.

Eli wondered if he should go look for her.

"I bet Fiona can handle it." Julian said he'd text her.

Eli went back to drinking.

* * *

><p>Owen was panting. The things Clare could do with her mouth should be illegal. She pressed her lips to his chest.<p>

"How was it?"

"God damn," he hissed in response.

She laughed as she ran her fingertips along his chest. "They're probably going to notice we're missing soon."

Owen kissed her forehead. "They'll notice you before me."

She went back to the party. Owen went to take a shower first.

* * *

><p>When she got to the living room, Eli drunkenly kissed her.<p>

"Where have you been?"

_Sucking Owen's cock,_ Clare thought to herself. _By the way, I swallowed before you kissed me. _"I went to lie down. My stomach was disagreeing with me."

"You feeling better?"

"Yes," she told him. "I feel fine now."

"Good. We can hook up tonight as planned."

Is he kidding? "Why don't you wait for me in the attic tonight? Fiona told me there was a spare mattress up there."

"Great," he said with a grin.

Clare did have plans that night, but not with Eli. Owen had done the rooms perfectly. Jane would go to Declan's room. Imogen would go to Fiona's, leaving Jane and Imogen's room empty.

Owen and Clare could hook up there and no one would expect them in that room.

* * *

><p>Before Owen returned to the party, he went to check on Fiona. She better get her part of the plan in action.<p>

He peered into Fiona's room and saw her and Imogen making out on the bed. "Perfect."

Now all he had to do was set up for tonight. He had rose petals, champagne, the works. Clare would be his.

Two hours later and the party had broken up for the night. Becky fell asleep, so Adam had to carry her to bed. Drew and Bianca made it to bed wide awake as had Declan and Jane.

Fiona and Imogen spent the night kissing and cuddling.

"Why did it take you so long to ask me out?" Imogen questioned.

"I wasn't sure if you liked girls," or me.

"I don't know about liking girls, but I like you."

* * *

><p>Eli went upstairs to the attic. Clare should be up there any minute. Instead of going upstairs, however, Clare went to Jane's room. She was surprised to see rose petals on the bed and champagne in an ice bucket.<p>

"I know it's not the Four Seasons but …"

Clare silenced him with a kiss. "It's perfect."

Owen locked the door behind her. "Shall we?"

Clare took his hand and led him to bed.

* * *

><p>After a half hour, Eli got impatient. He went to Clare and Becky's room to see Becky asleep alone.<p>

"Where the fuck is she?"

He tried his own room, but Adam was sleeping.

Eli checked the kitchen, the living room, the laundry room and the bathrooms, but there was no sign of her.

She had to be in someone else's room, but where could she be. Angrily, he remembered how enthusiastically Declan kissed her and went to his room, pounding on the door.

Declan had been enjoying his post sex haze with Jane before the rude interruption.

"Who the fuck?"

He got the door to see Eli. "Where's Clare?"

"I don't know you half wit." Declan pushed him aside and slammed the door.

Clare was half awake, in Owen's arms.

"How was it?" He knew her first time would not be her best time by far, but he hoped he did all right. He had never slept with a virgin before.

"Perfect." He was attentive and patient and well … quite sizable.

* * *

><p>"CLARE!" Eli shouted her name through out the halls.<p>

"He's going to wake everyone up," Owen told her.

"I would break up with him right now, but I don't want to ruin the moment."

"How do you want to spend this moment?"

"Kiss me."

And he did.


End file.
